Extension table



June 18, 1940. wc. RAsTEr'rER ExTENsIoN TABLE Filed May 12. 193s 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ORNEY.

June 18, 1940. w. c. RATET'l-En. 2,205,274

\ EXTENSION TABLE Filed May 12, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 j/ZZWW/ MVENTOR fBY I 4 ATTO'RNEY.

Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED; STATES 2,205,274 EXTENSION'TABLE:Wiuiamo. Rastetter, Fort Wayne. Ind. Applicatipn May 12,1938, serial No.207,554

1 Claim.

This invention relates to extension tables of that type in which thelength of the table is increased by positioning an additional topsection or leaf between the main top sections of the table,

.5 and concealing the leaf when not in use lbeneath the main topsections. n

An object of the invention is-A to construct a table having-main topsections providedwitha supporting structure therefor, adapted to beextended, and an additional top section'or Vleaf having foldable parts,said leaf being pivotally supported in connection with the mainsections,

20 an easily operated locking means for securing together the main .topsections afterthe additional leaf is in folded position and the main.top sections are contracted. l

And a further object of the invention is to construct the side framemembers of the supporting structure for the main table topsections so asto constitute sliding connections for the two main sections whereby topermit said sections to be extended. t f

Other objects and ,advantages o'f the invention appear in the followingdescription. An illustrative embodiment ofthe invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which: Fig. l is a top plan View of a tableembodying the invention as it appears in contracted position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the main top sections fully extended andthe additional folding top section in folded position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing avertical 40 section on the line3-3 of Fig-2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the .additional addiextending movementof the main sections and for supporting the additional topsection, andalso Another object of the invention is-to provide and in position themain and additional Vtop sections in operative. position, showing alsothe means for limiting theshowing the mechanism for locking the mainsec-` tions together when in contracted position; and

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view showing the overlapping side membersand their connecting. slide, the transverse section-being on the line8.-"-8A Figs. 3, 4, 5, '7 and 8 are drawn-to comparatively larger scalethan the other gures.

' Extensible table sections The `illustrative embodiment ofthe inventionconsists of two extensible main top sections I and 2 including asupporting .structure constituted of a frame 3 provided with legs lithat preferably j are secured to said frame at their upper ends y uponpivots 5 to permit folding of the legs Within the frame. The sides ofthe frameare formed of overlapping inner and outer side members 6 and lrespectively that overlap each other and have relative sliding movement.vUpon the inner face of eachouter side member adjacent its innermost endis secured a corresponding` guide-plate 8p, the upper edge of which hasan inturned horizontal flange Sl that has sliding movement in allongitudinal groove IIJ made in the outer \face of the correspondinginner side member 6. n has an extension I I that underlies the lowervface of the inner side member 6 and is provided with' an upstandingflange I2 that has sliding movement in alongitudinal groove I3 made inthe bottom of the inner side member I5. The upper flange 9 whenpositioned in the groove I0 prevents relativev vertical play of the sidemembers while the flange I2 preventslateral play thereof. Thus., theside members are permitted to have relative longitudinal movement andare heldin proper operating position throughout their slidbers are heldsnugly and firmly together with their exposed outer faces ush.

Folding topsectzon The main sections I'and 2 are connected together bymeans of a coupling rodv I6 that extendsloosely through brackets I'Isecuredv respectively upon the under faces of the panels forming thetops of said :main sections, and has longitudinal sliding movement insaid brackets limited by stops I8 onthe ends of said rod which havecontact with the corresponding brackets when the main sections are fullyextended.

Upon the coupling rod i6 is pivotally mounted an additional top secticnlconstituted of a leaf formed of two parts 2li and 2| connected togetherby hinges 22. eUpon 4the undersurface of the section 2l are securedbrackets23 through which the coupling rod I6 loosely extends. The leafhas pivotal movement upon the coupling rod-and is prevented from havinglongitudinal movement relative thereto by shoulders 24 on the rod thatabut the adjacent faces of the brackets 23 in opposite directions. Thus,when the main sections are parted to the fullest extent permitted, bycontact ofthe stops I8 with the brackets I1,

the leaf is then held midway between and spaced of the folding leaf I 9,and corresponding dowel pins 25 that project from the opposite side ofthe folding leaf are arranged to be received in corresponding sockets 26in the adjacent edge of the main section 2, when the top sections areallIalined in a common plane and contracted into compact operatingposition, thus to maintain an uniform'top surface for the table.

A stationary rest 21 consisting of a bentbar is secured to theundersurface of one of the main top sections, the lower end of said restbeing so positioned" as to extend beneath the part 20 of the.

. folding leaf thereby to sustain the leaf in a derlsponding sidemembers S and 1.

nite position when folded, and also to guide the part 2B of said leafduring its unfolding movement to insure elevation of the outer end ofthe part -20 sufficiently to clear the `tops of thecorre- Thus,unfolding of the leaf in moving it to its operating position isunobstructed. Also, to the underfaces of the; tops of the mainysectionsI and 2 are secured stationary supports 28 that project suiiicientlyfrom the corresponding tops as to underlie the corresponding edges ofthe part 2U of the leaf when said4 leaf has been placed in operativeposition. between the main top sectionsand said ing` movement of the mamsections 1s sufc1ent Ofi 7 engaged by said latch upon folding of theleaf and movement of said top main sections into contractedposition,thus securing [the main sections.

sections are contracted against the leaf. When f the main sections aremoved apart tothe extent limited bythe stops IB on the coupling rod I6,ithe leaf is held upon the coupling rod midway between the main sectionsclear of said supports so that folding movement of the lleaf is thenunobstructed Vby said supports. The limited partalso asv to permitcomplete withdrawal of the dowelz pins from the corresponding vsocketsinwhicli they engage so that folding of theleaflis unobstructed by saiddowel pins.

` Locking 'mechanism` To prevent unintentional extension or parting ofthe main, sections from their contracted position there is provided aspring-restrained latch 29 pivotally supported beneath the inner edge.

of one 4of the main top sections, which latch is provided with anoperating rod 3i) the outer end' of which underlies the outer edge; ofthe `corresponding main top section where it may conveniently be reachedby the operator. v

A stationary lug 3 I` is secured to th'eunderface of the opposite topsection, adjacent the `inner edge thereof opposite the latch 29, andbecomes together `vviththe inner edges of their tops abuttingeachrother.

Operation In operating the invention, assuming the main sections are incontracted position and `secured together by the latch mechanism, thetops of the main sections thenA afford a continuous area that extends ina single plane limited to the extent of the upper surfaces of the mainsections. When itis desired to increase the top surface of the the maintop sections, to permit tilting movement of the leaf I9 upon thecoupling rod I6. The operator, then, by applying downward pressure uponthe hinged end of the part 2| causes upward movement'of the oppositeends4 of the parts -20 and 2| of the leaf, and the part 20 is guided bythe rest 2l upwardly to such extent that it passes over and onto theadjacent side members B and 'I' (Fig. 4). When the unfolding movement ofthe leaf is completed it assumes a position between the main topsections in a common plane therewith and then the ends of the two partsofthe leaf rest upon the corresponding side members. The main sectionsthen are moved toward each other into position against the sides of theunfolded leaf, whereupon the supports 28 become projected beneath'thepart 2D of the leaf, and the dowel pins are projected into thecorresponding sockets 26 provided therefor, and the leaf retains itssupport from the rod IB. Thus, the unfolded leaf is sustained inoperating positonwith its-top surface extending in a common plane withthe top surfaces of the main sections. lv"In this manner an enlargementof the useful upper surface of the table is effected.

In order to contract the table, the main sections are first4 parted totheir fullest extent, then the leaf is folded to the position indicatedin Fig. 3,- and subsequentlythe main sections are moved into-theircom-plete' contracted position, whereupon the.x folded leaf iscompletely concealed beneath the topfof themain sections and is heldsupportediupon the coupling rodr I6 and the rest 2'IL Variations fromthe particular construction above disclosed may readily be made byexercise of engineeringv skill without 'departure from the spirit orscope of the invention, and the following claim is intended to beinclusive of such variations.

WhatI claim is: Inglan-extension tab-1e having opposed main top sectionsseparable for the reception therebetween of anextensionleaf, 'side framememberssecured to the ,underfaces vof said sections at the sidesthereof` each .having an undercut shoulderand an extending portion thatoverlaps the corre-` held snugly and'firmlytogether with theirexposedouter faces flush, and means to lock said top sections tion.

WILLIAM C. RASTE'FIER.

Atogether when incontracted posi-y

